Provo police investigating car burglaries, arsons

PROVO — Provo fire investigators and police are trying to figure out who is responsible for a car burglary spree-turned-arson case.

Neighbors discovered five cars burglarized on two streets in the area of 1050 North and 750 West Tuesday morning. Whoever was responsible, investigators said, likely also set two of those vehicles, a truck and a sedan, on fire.

Neighbors first became aware of something suspicious early Tuesday. Angela Huerta had just let the cat out around 3:30 a.m., when she said she saw a thin man wearing all black prowling around the cars on the street.

“He got to the back of that black car and he looked at me three times,” Huerta said. “I’m wondering, 'What is he doing here?'

“Next thing I know five minutes later, boom!” she said. “I come out and this whole truck was engulfed in fire.”

Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield said the truck was a total loss. A fire was also set in a sedan down the block on the same side of the street.

“It does trouble us that they ignited multiple vehicles on the same street,” he said, adding that he suspects the arsonists were likely covering up tracks from the burglaries.

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to contact Provo police.

— Andrew Adams